Our Days are Full of Gray-Blue Light—Monday, May 9, 2016

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Dayphoto

It’s raining here. Has been for two days. The weather people say it will rain at least until Tuesday.

Today Terry turned the irrigation water off. It’s too muddy to walk on the ditch banks. To turn the irrigation water off is a very strange occurrence once it is turned on.

It’s extremely chilly outside, the air so fresh it will make you cough, if you take a good lungful of it. The trees are dripping, water sits on everything; running in rivulets off the eaves.

We only have four little hummingbirds. This photo is on May 13th a couple of years or so ago. We have aways to go to reach this level of activity.

The sky is still lowering as I write; clouds black in the west and dark grey in the morning east. It’s cold enough I want to start a fire in the fireplace, although we do have the furnace up and going.

Oh well, rain is good for so many things I will just enjoy it. The weather people also say major heat is following these series of cold rain storms.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Freak Spring Hail Storm—-Sunday, May 8, 2016

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Dayphoto

Early Saturday morning, around 3-or 4, I don’t really remember now. We had a terrible hail storm

It came in swath straight from the south

Tearing through the farm yard and damaging the trees

We have little leaves stuck everywhere.

Although, we feel we were lucky because none of the plants set out under freeze covers were damaged, the covers stayed in place…and the corn is not up in the fields.

The sunrise looked like this! Stunning isn’t it?

Then the rain clouds came back in…only rain clouds. We are still changing water through all of this rain, mud and cold. Irrigation doesn’t stop once we start.

By sunset Saturday evening the clouds started parting. It was glorious!

Today is cold and only partly cloudy. Once more I’m very thankful the corn isn’t up yet and my covered tomatoes and other things are still doing fine.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

Linda

A Visit from Another Spot on the Planet—Thursday, May 5, 2016

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Dayphoto

Riding through the Upper End to the Back Forty we came across something odd stuck in last winter’s dried out grass!

Boomer and checked it out…he was in defense mode, me just curious. When we got there we found a Happy 30th Birthday balloon! It must have flown away or they released it for good wishes. No matter how…it landed next to the little creek between the Upper End and the Back Forty and We found it!

Of course it was pretty flat so I threw it away.

Still…I enjoyed finding the balloon!

From your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

The World Paused—-Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a good day, the air was warm, the sun shone, and the clouds started drifting away.

As the sun sat it seemed as if the world and the sky and even the air stood still–breathless, it seemed.

The birds paused in their evening song as if waiting.

The sunset started out as a small apricot glow, then gradually burst into a brilliance untold. The shadows seemed to grow darker and deeper in seconds as the sky blazed with perfect point of balance of light before dark.

For just a tiny moment in time I felt like I could feel that wonderful heartbeat of Mother Earth and Father Sky’s answering echo.

From my world to your Heart

Linda

Twilight Coming On—Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Dayphoto

We spent Sunday afternoon with our daughter and son-in-law in Grand Junction, Colorado. They wanted to take ‘Dad’ out for dinner for his birthday.

It was lovely. Being with family is always special to Terry and I.

When we got home we took the four-wheelers out to check on the corn–if the corn is sprouted little roots it’s time to harrow off the dirt so the seed doesn’t have a hard time coming through our soil. (It was time—today Terry is harrowing the first field)

Twilight was coming on when we headed out…and so was another storm. (Looking east toward Paonia)

When either Terry or I, or just one of us is in need of peace we feel it out here. (Looking toward Gunnison, Colorado) The wind was sharp and a little brisk. A chill from a passing clouds cooling us even further.

The farm and the surrounding area were filtered by the gathering clouds, dappling us in shadows.

(Possible rain or snow showers on Grand Mesa.)

Then coming home we saw it

The brilliance of sun, and sky; a gift from the heavens!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

HAPPY BIRTHDAY—Monday, May 2, 2016

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Dayphoto

72 years old and still going strong!

530 John Deere

GTO

Corvette

Loving Grandpa

Farmer

Corn Harvest

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Linda

In a Former Life—Sunday, May 1, 2016

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Dayphoto

For 37 years Terry was a lineman for the power company—most of that time he was a Line Foreman. (Here they are repairing a broken top of a pole —-an electric pole…not a telephone pole!)

This was taken when they were helping with a huge fire at Paonia, Colorado

Here they are sitting a power pole.

All the wind we have been having caused one of the yard lights to trip a breaker then go out.

Still a lineman!

Love,

Linda

Our Farming Hearts—-Thursday, April 28, 2016

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was another chill spring day of damp and moving air.

Terry continued planting the corn, then worked on the pinto bean fields. We are close to starting water on those fields, close, but not yet.

We are still experiencing lots of trash in the canals. It’s a daily job to keep the water ways clear. We will fight this trash until the middle of June. By that time all the fields above us will be planted, all the canals and laterals will be open, and the wind should have died down.

I’ve enjoyed my series of photos of the April full moon. They give me a small bubble of happiness whenever I look at them. What is so delightful is the moon really is tinged with pink. Therefore, the full moon of April is called the Pink Full Moon. Perfect I do believe!

While Terry planted I filled up several buckets, of our saved shelled corn from last year; soaked the corn in water for a couple of hours then took a bucket out to the end of the field (which I will do for every field) and started scattering the seed.

We do this because the pheasants LOVE scratching up the sprouting corn seed and eating them. If I can give them enough soft (easy to get too) corn they will leave the fields alone.

I came across one of the males running along in front of me as I worked. It was blowing a little hard so he thought he could out-run me instead of trying to fly into the wind.

Giving up running he took off; just watching him go gave me a breathless feeling! What a beautiful bird!

Although, it wasn’t raining right on us, huge rain chuts were drenching parts of the Uncompahgre Plateau. (Un-come-pah-gray—accent on the pah)

The sheer ordinariness of the day fills our farmer’s heart with good!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Gift from Merri to all of Us—-Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Dayphoto

This is a photograph of Split Rock Lighthouse in Duluth, Minnesota! It is taken by a wonderful photographer in Merri’s home town. Isn’t it just stunning?

Thank you, Merri! and Thanks to “Explore the Shore” Christian Dalbec Photography! Here is his FaceBook page if you would like see more of his photography. I think some is even for sale!

Your friend,

Linda

Spring is Breathing Restless—Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Dayphoto

Terry planted corn, in another huge wind storm complete with rain. It couldn’t be helped. The ground was just at that ‘perfect place’ — not to wet and not to dry. To wait any longer and the tiny window of opportunity would be gone.

The air was sharp with ozone and wet dirt, extremely cold against my face, when I delivered sacks of seed to him, or to go get him for lunch.

Boomer would be shivering by the time we got back to the house.

It blew and rained off and on all day. Then cleared late in the evening to allow my lovely sour cherries to freeze (?) I sure hope not. I didn’t check the temperature this morning. It was what it was.

But it was cold, so fresh and sharp that it tickled your lungs to breath…by five o’clock I had to start up the woodstove; the heat felt lovely. It’s still going today and it looks like I will be filling the woodbox for at least five or six more days and nights.

Sigh! This spring is very restless; very wet and cold and windy.

We are still creating and setting dams. Two more and we will be done for the year.

This morning I woke the normal silence of the house. House silence isn’t like farm silence– farm silence is full of winds that whisper, the flutter and swish of birds, and the vast sounds of the sky.

Nor is it the disturbed silence of town–the swooshing of tires passing, the slamming of a far away door, a roaming and uneasy always constant movement.

The silence of the house is the dim glow of first light coming through the window…a gradual lighting of the night into day, the feel of slumbering thoughts, of those still sleeping, the pad of Boomer’s feet as he follows me into the kitchen.

The tea kettle’s boiling water signals the day has begun!